Cord gripping device



July 2l, 1953 M, E, LEE 2,645,832

CORD GRIPPING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1950 mlm-l1 l. im.'

42 J4 J6 60 Z426 e INVENTOR.

from the following specification.

Patented July 21, 195.3

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

Application December 9, 1950, serial No. 200,039

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in gripping devices usable for gripping and holding small, light weight objects while manipulating and Working with the same.

One of the purposes for which the device is especially suited is the handling and manipulation of threads, feathers, hairs and like materials employed in the manufacture of fishing flies. The device is used in this connection in place of a conventional pair of pliers and serves to grip the thread, feather, hair, or other strand or member, in a mannerl which prevents its release and which eliminates the necessity for the continuous application of manual pressure to the tool. The device is also especially Well suited for rapid and fast manipulation of such operationsr as the winding of thread or other elongated flexible members around another object with a number of turns. Among other advantages of the device are lightness of Weight, compactness to facilitate storage in a small space, continuous application of gripping pressure, ready release of gripping pressure, provision of a soft grip upon the object being handled so as to avoid danger of breakage or cutting of that member, and ready manipulation and control of position of the member in its intended usage.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side View of the device in its normal position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the device in its closed position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional vieW similar to Fig. 2, and illustrating the device in its open or releasing position.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. n

Referring to the draWingWhich illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral ID designates the body of the device which is of elongated cup-shape form. The body has a tubular Wall portion I2 provided with an enlarged flange portion I4 at its open end. The portion I4 may have a counter-bored mouth portion I6 Whose inner transverse dimension is greater than the inner transverse dimension of the tubular portion I2. The bore I8 of the tubular portion I2 extends for substantially onehalf of the total length of the body I0.

The remaining portion of the body has an externally tapered surface terminating in a partspherioal or generally rounded end 22. A bore 24 of a diameter reduced compared to the diameter of the bore I8 extends for the major portion of .the length of the tapered portion 20 concentrically thereof and terminates spaced from formed therein, the same being spaced apart andl preferably diverging outwardly so that their outer ends are spaced apart substantially, as best illustrated in Fig. 4. The rounded end surface 22 is preferably interrupted by a groove 30 which extends between the outer ends of the apertures 28 and is preferably of substantially uniform depth throughout. If desired, a portion ofthe body may be knurled externally at 32.

A plunger member 34 has a snug sliding fit within the bore I8 of the body. The inner end portion 36 of the plunger is of reduced dimension and provides a shoulder 38 intermediate the length of the plunger. An enlarged head or flange portion 46 is formed at the outer end of the plunger, and the end surface 42 of the plunger at the head 40 is preferably concave as illustrated. A` socket or recess 44 interrupts the end surface l42 centrally thereof. An elongated reduced dimension bore 46 communicates with the socket 44 at one end and extends ,longitudinally centrally through the plunger, being open at the inner end of the plunger. The transverse dimension of the flange 40 is preferably slightlyy less than the transverse dimension'of the socket vI6 so that said flange may seat in said socket at the innermost end of its sliding movement within the bore I8 as illustrated in Fig. 3.

A strong elongated flexible strandof a material having a tendency to retain its shape is utilized in the device. Among the materials which are suited for use in this purpose are fine metal wire having substantial tensile strength, such as piano i wire, a strand of surgical suture material, either the end surface 22 in order to provide4 an end wall natural or synthetic, strong heavy woven thread, either untreated 0r treated With wax or other material tending to strengthen and stiffen the same, and filaments of synthetic resinous material, of which that known commercially as nylon is one example, the latter being preferred.

The central portion 50 of the strand seats in the groove 36 in the end surface 22kof the body member. A pair of runs 52 projecting from the central portion 50 extend slidably through the apertures 28. Converging runs 54 extend from the apertures 28 to the plunger 36, and runs 5'6 extend through the bore 46 of the plunger to project therefrom and into the socket 44. The freev Fig. 2, and the plunger is normally urged to the Fig. 2 position bythecoil spring 60 `Which fits Within the bore I8 to-bear at one end against the inner end of that bore and to bear at its opposite end against the shoulder 38 of the plunger, said spring encircling the reduced portion 36 of the plunger.

If desired, the flange I4 of the body I0 may be provided with sockets which receive and pivot the end portions of a large finger ring B2. The ring will preferably be resilient so that it may be spread for removal from the sockets in the body. The ring will be of a size to fit freely around the nger of a user.

In the use of the device to grip an article, the plunger 34 is depressed against the action of the spring 60 to cause the central portion 50 of the strand to be spaced from the end surface 22 of the body in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. This can be accomplished easily by grasping the body at the knurled part 32 between two or more fingers and pressing upon the end of the plunger at the surface 42 with another nger.

Alternatively, the device can be used by holding the body between the index finger and the middle finger and pressing upon the plunger with the thumb, the index finger and middle nger bearing against the ring in direct opposition to the direction in which the pressure is applied to the plunger. The object or objects to be gripped are passed through the loop defined by the runs 59,

52 of the strand which projects outwardly cf the end of the body, and pressure upon the plunger is then released. The spring 50 draws the strand inwardly and produces a gripping action upon the article within the loop of the strand, pressing and gripping the same between the strand portion 50 and the end surface 22 of the body. The grip thus effected is strong and is maintained continuously by the spring. Thus the user is free to manipulate the gripping device in any manner found suitable, for instance, in a manner to cause the wrapping of a thread or a hair around the shank of a hook in tying a fishing fly.

The manipulation is also facilitated by the iinger ring 62, it being possible for the user, by passing his index finger through the ring and then effecting a circular motion around the object which is to be wrapped, to quickly effect the desired wrapping, maintaining continuously de sired tension upon the article being wrapped being free from concern about the gripping tension applied to the strand, thread or feather being worked, because the spring E0 exerts such gripping tension.

While the provision of a groove has been illustrated herein, it will be understood that such a groove isy not essential to the successful operation of the device. Where employed, it serves to enhance the gripping action of the device by reason of the fact that the thread or other member being gripped, where flexible, tends to be slightly bent or to be pressed into the groove by the pressure of the strand portion 5D. Where employed, the groove is preferably quite shallow and usually will be of a depth less than the diameter of the strand. It is also important, where the groove is provided, that the occurrence of sharp edges on its sides, that is, at the junction of the groove with the rounded surface 22, shall be avoided.

The strand employed in the device must possess properties both of flexibility and stiffness. Stiffness is required to insure that there will be an endwise bodily displacement of the strand from the Fig. 2 position to the Fig. 3 position incident to the depression of the plunger 34. Thus the use of a strand of very limp material will not be wholly satisfactory. YAt the same time the use of a wholly rigid or excessively stiff member will not be satisfactory because the strand must flex slightly at the runs 52 thereof as the device is shifted from the Fig. 2 to the Fig. 3 position.

It will be observed that the strand is-the sole means which holds the parts of the device in their assembled relation. Consequently, if the strand breaks, the device becomes wholly and immediately inoperative. Thus the user is assured that at any time the device is operative, it may be used to its full utility so that no danger will exist that the gripping tension will relax during usage. In the event the strand breaks, the parts can be disassembled if required for removal of the broken portions of the strand, and then can be reassembled by the simple operation of applying a new strand operatively in position and tying a knot in the end of the strand while the plunger is held depressed. This operation can be performed without great difculty and expeditiously where clamping means, such as a vise, are provided which embrace the flange I4 and engage the end of the plunger `to hold the same in the position shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose it is preferred that the flange 40 of the plunger shall be of a diameter substantially equal to or preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the tubular portion l2 of the body.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood tb at changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A. gripping device comprising a cup-shaped body, an end wall of said body having a pair of spaced apertures, a plunger slidable axially in said body and having an open-ended passage therethrough and a socket therein communicating with the outer end of said passage, an elongated strand having its ends knotted together, said knotted portion seating in said socket and said strand extending from Said knotted portion through said passage with separate runs extending through said apertures whereby a portion of said strand extends across the outer surface of said end wall between said apertures, and a spring pressing said plunger outwardly of said body.

2. A gripping device comprising a cup-shaped body, an end wall of said body having a pair of spaced apertures, a plunger slidable axially in said body, an elongated strand having its end portion anchored at said plunger and including a loop portion having runs extending through said apertures and a bight portion extending across the outer surface of said end wall between said apertures, and a spring pressing said plunger outwardly of said body, the exterior surface of the end wall of said body being rounded and having a groove therein between said apertures of a depth less than the thickness of said strand.

MATTHEW E. LEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 512,532 Harper Jan. 9, 1894 1,798,221 Porwoll Mar. 31, 1931 2,040,705 Olson May 12, 1936 2,471,623 Hubbell May 31, 1949 2,479,710 Arnold Aug. 23, 1949 2,516,657 Spendlove July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,892 Switzerland Feb. 12, 1890 350,582 France June 17, 1905 93,910 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1922 

